Lagenandra peradeniyae Madola, D.Yakandawala & K.Yakandawala, 2022

Madola, Indrakheela, Yakandawala, Deepthi & Yakandawala, Kapila, 2022, A new Lagenandra species with two varieties from the Wet Zone of Sri Lanka, Phytotaxa 567 (2), pp. 110-126 : 115-119

Lagenandra peradeniyae Madola, D.Yakandawala & K.Yakandawala , sp. nov. ( Figs. 4–11 )

The habit of L. peradeniyae differs from all other Lagenandra species described up to date in relation to their orientation of the spathe that stands well above the leaves that are aligned more or less parallel to the substrate giving way to the spathe. Even though the spathes of both L. bogneri and L. erosa reach above the leaves, the spathe of L. peradeniyae grows well above the leaves, where at least a part of the peduncle is always placed above the leaves.

Type:— SRI LANKA, Western Province, Colombo District, in the Indikada Mukalana Forest Reserve , 50 m asl. Collected 08 th of March 2021, Madola, D. Yakandawala & K. Yakandawala L170 (holotype PDA!, isotypes PDA!, K!) .

Evergreen large herb with creeping to erect rhizome ca. 0.8–1.3 cm in diam. Cataphylls ca. 4–7 cm. Petiole ca. 4–17 cm long, ca. 0.2–0.4 cm wide, sheath ca. 1.5–4.5 cm long, unequal. Leaf blades light green to dark green with silver colour associated with either as variegated with silver patches or green with the silver colour appearing towards the either side of the mid rib. Leaves lanceolate to lance-ovate, apex acuminate, base acute or rounded, margin entire, sometimes undulate, blade ca. 6.7–17.2 × 2.3–5.0 cm; mid rib prominent on the upper surface. Peduncle ca. 7.8–20.5 cm long, 0.3–1.1 cm width. Spathe dark maroon/maroon or light green/yellow mixed with maroon, slightly rugose to rugose, ca. 6.8–12.8 cm long, kettle ca. 1.5–2 × 1.3–1.9 cm, dark marron with smooth longitudinal striations inside; limb ca. 3.4–6.2 × 1.5–2.7 cm, slightly twisted, dark maroon ribs and horizontally irregularly roughened inside; tail ca. 0.7–7.8 × 0.1–0.4 cm. Spadix ca. 1–2 cm long; pistillate flower zone ca. 0.3–0.6 × 0.5–0.9 cm, three whorls, not fused; sterile zone ca. 0.4–1 cm long; staminate flower zone ca. 0.3–0.5 × 0.2–0.4 cm; appendix ca. 0.2–0.3 × 0.1–0.3 cm long, purple. Pistils ca. 28–38, up-right. Staminate flowers ca. 48–74. Infructescence up to 20 cm long, oblate, fleshy capsule up to 20–26, lobes pointed, with many warty out-growths. Seeds 1–2, size ca. 0.5–0.6 × 0.2–0.3 cm and longitudinally ridged.

Etymology:—The new species is named after the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution of Lagenandra peradeniyae; Lagenandra peradeniyae var. peradeniyae and L. peradeniyae var. speciosa, in the Wet Zone of Sri Lanka.

FIGURE 5. Habitat of Lagenandra peradeniyae, either A. Between the crevices of the stones in running water or B. On the banks of the stream.

FIGURE 6. Habit of Lagenandra peradeniyae; A. Lagenandra peradeniyae var. peradeniyae and B. L. peradeniyae var. speciosa.

FIGURE 7. Leaf and spathe of Lagenandra peradeniyae; Lagenandra peradeniyae var. peradeniyae, A1. Maroon spathe and A2. Leaves light green, variegated with silver patches and L. peradeniyae var. speciosa, B1. light green/yellow mixed with maroon/purple spathe and B2. leaves with silver colour appearing towards either side of the mid rib.

FIGURE 8. Lagenandra peradeniyae var. peradeniyae; A. and B. Spathe from different angles showing the opening in the limb. C. Spathe dissected and opened. D. Kettle with the spadix. E. Pistillate flower zone. F. Appendix and staminate flower zone. G. Infructescence and H. Seeds.

FIGURE 9. Lagenandra peradeniyae var. peradeniyae; A. Habit. B. Spathe. C. Infructescence. and D. Seeds.

FIGURE 10. Lagenandra peradeniyae var. speciosa; A. and B. Spathe from different angles showing the opening in the limb. C. Spathe dissected and opened. D. Kettle with the spadix. E. Pistillate flower zone. F. Appendix and staminate flower zone. G. Infructescence and H. Seeds.

FIGURE 11. Lagenandra peradeniyae var. speciosa; A. Habit. B. Spathe. C. Infructescence. and D. Seeds.